Border stabilizers for inner spring units



Nov. 21, 1967 J. c. KLINE BORDER STABILIZERS FOR INNER SPRING UNITS Filed Dec. 14, 1966 JNVENTOB. JOHN C. KL/NE United States Patent Office 3,353,195 Patented Nov. 21, 1957 3,353,195 BORDER STABILIZERS FOR INNER SPRING UNITS John C. Kline, Merrick, N.Y., assignor to E clipse Sleep Products, Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporauon of New York Filed Dec. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 601,606 2 Claims. (Cl. 261) This invention relates to mattresses and relates more particularly to edge supporting devices also known as border stabilizers, for inner spring units of mattresses.

This invention is concerned with the provision of an improved border stabilizer for the complete edge of an inner spring unit of a mattress, which stabilizer affords an improved resistance to sagging of the mattress at its edge or border over that which has been obtainable heretofore with known border stabilizers.

The border stabilizer of the instant invention serves to exert a stabilizing effect along the entire border or edge of the inner spring unit when a compressive force is applied thereto, resulting in a marked resistance to the sagging or depressing of the entire periphery of the inner spring edge. The cost of assembly and cost of materlals of the improved border stabilizer is approximately the same as that of the heretofore available border stabilizers and the stabilizer exerts its desired stabilizing action without impairing the normal efiiciency of the inner spring unit.

The border stabilizer of this invention is used for the same purposes as those disclosed in US. Patent Nos. 2,509,831; 2,826,768; 3,022,521; 3,206,759 and 3,121,883.

As is well known, the practice of sitting on the edge of a bed serves to depress and ultimately tends to deform the border of a mattress. Such deformation results from compressing either the coil springs normally present or the wire borders of the spring construction, or both, to the point where from metal fatigue or otherwise, they acquire a permanent set.

The problem of border sagging is aggravated in commercial lodgings, particularly hotels and motels, where the telephone is normally located on a night table placed at one side of the bed and thus leads to edge-sitting. Although many of the presently available border stabilizers may be effective in stabilizing mattresses used in the home wherein the practice of sitting on the edge of the bed is not so frequent, they are not satisfactory for mattresses for hotel and motel use wherein edge-sitting is so common.

Another drawback of certain of the heretofore available stabilizers is that in order to achieve the desired stabilizing effect along an edge of the mattress, a plurality of individual, separate stabilizer units disposed along the edge are required. Manifestly, the use of a plurality of stabilizer units adds to the cost of assembly compared to when a single unit may be used for the entire edge. An other disadvantage of using a plurality of individual stabilizer units is that they tend to rub against each other which produces an annoying clicking noise.

The present invention provides a border stabilizer which is highly efiicient in stabilizing the entire edge of an inner spring unit of a mattress and is of utility especially for mattresses which are to be subjected to the severe conditions such as those encountered in commercial lodgings wherein the mattress is subjected to frequent edge-sitting and consequent wear along the edges. Also, the border stabilizer of this invention eliminates the clicking noise that occurs with the use of a plurality of individual stabilizer units.

The border stabilizer of this invention is formed by two continuous wires and comprises two substantially coplanar and parallel rows of abutment lengths, the abutmeat lengths in the same row being spaced lengthwise from each other and disposed opposite the abutment lengths in the other thereby to provide successively spaced pairs of abutment lengths; and, resilient force-transmitting means co-planar with said rows and interconnecting adjoining ends of said pairs of abutment lengths for transmitting forces imparted to abutment lengths in one of said parallel rows to abutment lengths in the other of said rows, said resilient force-transmitting means including a bow-like spring reinforcing portion intermediate said parallel rows.

The configuration of the wires used in accordance with this invention and their arrangement with respect to each other will become readily apparent from the detailed description of one specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary skeletal view in perspective of an inner spring mattress embodying a border stabilizer in accordance with this invention, the view showing the arran ement of the stabilizer along one side of the inner sprin unit of the mattress;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in front elevation of the inner spring border stabilizer assembly shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the border stabilizer shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2 and showing details of the connection of one abutment of the edge supporting device to the upper border wire by means of a clip.

in the embodiment shown, the mattress 1 is provided with an upper rectangular border wire frame 2 (e.g. #9 gauge border wire) and a lower rectangular border wire (e.g. #9 gauge boder wire) frame 3. These frames 2 and 3 are spaced from one another by the conventional coil springs 4 (e.g. #13 gauge coil springs). The coil springs adjacent to the border wire frames 2 and 3 are connected to the same by any suitable fastening means such, for example, as by fastening clips 5 as shown in drawings or alternatively by a continuous helical spring wire (e.g. 0.052 spring wire) connector (not shown) that is threaded securely around the wire of frames 2 and 3 and the outer loops of the coil springs 4. As shown in the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the stabilizer 6 is formed from two continuous wires 7 and 8 and comprises substantially co-planar and parallel rows of abutment lengths, the abutment lengths a, a" and a in the same row being spaced lengthwise from each other and disposed opposite the abutment lengths b, b and b' in the other to provide successively spaced pairs of abutment lengths 9', 9" and 9".

Co-planar with said rows and connecting ends of each air of abutment lengths (e.g. 9' and 9") are force-transmitting means 10, 19', etc., said resilient force-transmitting means including a bow-like spring reinforcing portion 11, 11, etc. intermediate said parallel rows.

In forming the border stabilizer of this invention, the Wires 7 and 8 are of such configuration and disposed with respect to each such that wire 7 comprises alternate abutment lengths a, b" and a', the ends of each pair of alternate abutment lengths (e.g. a and b") connected together by a resilient force-transmitting interconnecting member comprising a pair of substantially vertical, parallel arms 12 which are connected by a substantially horizontal mid-portion 13; and, in like manner, wire 8 comprises alternate abutment lengths b, a" and b', the ends ofeach pair of alternate abutment lengths e.g. b and a") connected together by means of resilient forcetransmitting interconnecting member comprising a pair of substantially vertical, parallel arms 14 which are connected by a substantially horizontal mid-portion 15.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the bow-like spring reinforcing portion 11, 11', etc. are formed by having the arms 12 and 14 and mid-portions 13 and 15 overlap each other in the manner shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. For example, in forming bow-like spring reinforcing member 11, upper arm 12 of wire 7 crosses over lower arm 14 of wire 8; mid-portion 13 of wire 7 crosses under mid-portion 15 of wire 8 and lower arm 12 of wire 7 crosses over upper arm 14 of Wire 8.

As shown in FIG. 3, the row of abutment lengths a, a and a' of wires 7 and 8 are vertically spaced with respect to the row of abutment lengths b, b" and b' of wires 7 and 8 approximately the distance between the 7 upper border forming wire 2 and the lower border forming Wire 3; abutment lengths a, a" and a' being connected to border forming wire 2 and abutment lengths b, b" and b' being connected to border forming wire 3 by means of the same clips 5 that connect the outer loops of the coil springs 4 to the wire of frames 2 and 3. In like manner, if a helical connecting wire is used to connect the outer loops of the coil spring 4 to the wire of the frames 2 and 3, the same connecting wire may be used to connect the respective rows of abutment lengths to the wire of frames 2 and 3.

While in the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, a border stabilizer is only shown on one side of the mattress, obviously a border stabilizer may be used for firming up as many of the four sides of the mattress as desired.

Referring now more particularly to the function of the edge stabilizer depicted in the drawings, it will be observed that when a vertical load is imposed on the horizontally disposed upper abutment length a, FIG. 3, as by a person sitting on the edge of the mattress 1, this load will be transmitted along and by the stabilizer sections 12, 13, 12 shown at the left of FIG. 3, to the lower abutment lengths b". The vertical load thus imparted to the lower abutment length b" will, by reason of the inclination of the lower stabilizer section 12 to the lower abutment length b", appear in the lower abutment section b" as a horizontal load component extending axially of lower abutment length b" and as a vertical force component applied to the left-hand end of the abutment length b" as viewed in FIG. 3. This vertical component will, of course, be supported by the spring support.

The horizontal component will obviously be transmitted from and by the abutment length b" to and axially along the assembly of stabilizer sections 12, 13, 12 appearing at the right-hand end of FIG. 3, to the upper abutment length a of FIG. 3. Thus, by reason of the fact that.

the abutment lengths a, b" and a' as shown, are essentially portions of a continuous wire, the load imposed on abutment length a will be transmitted along the length of the continuous wire thereby distributing the load along the entire'side of the spring.

Manifestly, a corresponding result will be obtained, if for example, the vertical load is imposed on upper abutment length a". In such case the load will be transferred to the left in FIG. 3 via stabilizer sections 14, 15, 14 to lower abutment length b and to the right in FIG. 3 via stabilizer sections 14, 15, 14 to lower stabilizer section b. I

It will be understood that by reason of the spring action provided by the stabilizer sections 12, 13, 12 between the abutment lengths a and b", downward movement of the abutment length a relative to abutment length b, is made possible. This follows because the midportion or intermediate stabilizer section 13 functions to permit relative axial movement of the end stabilizer sections 12, 12 as the intermediate section 13 is angularly displaced by upper stabilizer section 12 under the imposed downward load. As viewed in FIG. 3, intermediate section 13 would tend to'rotate in a generally counter-clockwise direction as a downward load is imposed on abutment length a and transmitted via end section 12 to section 13.

a fromeach other and disposed opposite theabutment Clearly, therefore, the shorter and hence, the stiffer, the intermediate section 13 is made and thus the closer to a generally co-axial alignment the end sections 12, 12

approach, the stiffer the assembly of sections 12, 13, 12 becomes. Likewise, the longer the intermediate section 13 is made the more flexible and softer the assembly becomes. Hence, the dimensional parameters of assembly 12, 13, 12 may be modified to suit the particularly usage and severity of service to which the spring as a whole may reasonably be subjected.

What has been said above with respect to the assembly stabilizer sections 12, 13, 12 applies equally to the companion stabilizer sections 14, 15, 14. Moreover, by reason of the relatively loose interlocking of the assembly of sections 12, 13, 12 with the assembly of the companion sections 14, 15, 14 it will be apparent that each assembly also serves to restrain its associated assembly from de-- fleeting out of its normal, generally vertical plane. Illustratively, should the assembly of sections 12, 13, 12 at the left of FIG. 3 tend to deflect inwardly (or outwardly) as abutment length a is moved downward, this tendency is opposed by the companion assembly of sections 14, '15, 14 whose intermediate section 15 crosses intermediate section 13 at 11.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific combinations and improvements described, but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What is claimed is:

1. In an inner spring unit for a mattress and the like having coil springs spacing the upper from the lower face thereof and having co-extensive parallel upper and lower border forming wires, a border stabilizer formed from two continuous wires and comprising two substantially coplanar and parallel rows of abutment lengths, the abutment lengths in the same row being spaced lengthwise lengths in the other thereby to provide successively spaced pairs of abutment lengths; and, resilient force- 7 transmitting means co-planar with said rows and interconnecting adjoining ends'of said pairs of abutment lengths for transmitting forces imparted to abutment lengths in one of said parallel rows to abutment lengths in the other of said rows, said resilient force-transmitting means including a bow-like spring reinforcing portion intermediate said parallel rows; and, means for connecting the upper row of abutment lengths to the upper border forming wire and the lower row of abutment lengths to the lower border forming wire.

2. In an inner spring unit for a mattress and the like according to claim 1, wherein the abutment lengths formed by a given wire alternate from one to the other of said rows and the abutment lengths of a given wire in a given row alternating with the abutment lengthsof the other wire in the same row, and wherein said resilient force-transmitting means comprises resilient inter-connecting members individually connecting an abutment length of a given wire in a given row with the next succeeding References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,509,831 5/1950 Martin 5-351 2,703,414 3/1955 Bank 5-253 (Other references on following page) UNITED STATES PATENTS Wise 5-351 Drews 5-351 Rymland 5-260 Levine 5-261 Bechik 5-351 Martin 5-351 Kline 5-261 Martin 5-260 Ciampa et a1. 5-261 Costello 5-260 Kline 5-260 DreWs 5-260 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

R. D. KRAUS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN AN INNER SPRING UNIT FOR A MATTRESS AND THE LIKE HAVING COIL SPRINGS SPACING THE UPPER FROM THE LOWER FACE THEREOF AND HAVING CO-EXTENSIVE PARALLEL UPPER AND LOWER BORDER FORMING WIRES, A BORDER STABILIZER FORMED FROM TWO CONTINUOUS WIRES AND COMPRISING TWO SUBSTANTIALLY COPLANAR AND PARALLEL ROWS OF ABUTMENT LENGTHS, THE ABUTMENT LENGTHS IN THE SAME ROW BEING SPCED LENGTHWISE FROM EACH OTHER AND DISPOSED OPPOSITE THE ABUTMENT LENGTHS IN THE OTHER THEREBY TO PROVIDE SUCCESSIVELY SPACED PAIRS OF ABUTMENT LENGTHS; AND, RESILIENT FORCETRANSMITTING MEANS CO-PLANAR WITH SAID ROWS AND INTERCONNECTING ADJOINING ENDS OF SAID PAIRS OF ABUTMENT LENGTHS FOR TRANSMITTING FORCES IMPARTED TO ABUTMENT LENGTHS IN ONE OF SAID PARALLEL ROWS TO ABUTMENT LENGTHS IN THE OTHER OF SAID ROWS, SAID RESILIENT FORCE-TRANSMITTING MEANS INCLUDING A BOW-LIKE SPRING REINFORCING PORTION INTERMEDIATE SAID PARALLEL ROWS; AND, MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE UPPER ROW OF ABUTMENT LENGTHS TO THE UPPER BORDER FORMING WIRE AND THE LOWER ROW OF ABUTMENT LENGTHS TO THE LOWER BORDER FORMING WIRE. 